Feed trough and distributing system



March 24, 1959 M. POTTER ET AL FEED TROUGH AND DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM- 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. 13, 1952 T 5 1 mi MT m MGR nmw .w .M A n= w M .EL W Q w& M\ Q\ \QS I L. M. POTTER ETAL 2,878,925

FEED TROUGH AND DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM Mgrch 24, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Aug. 13, 1952 INVENTORS Leo/v ri e-r1752 WILLIAM H. \A/ILLETT ATTORNEY March 24, 1959 L. M. POTTER ET AL FEED TROUGH AND DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM Original Filed Aug. 13, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS LEON MPQTTEQ WILL/AM MWI LETT ATTORNEY March 24, 1959 L. M. POTTER ETAL v ,878,

FEED TROUGH AND DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM Original Filed Aug. 13, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 II II IIJFHLH II II II llll I II II HH'IT'H II II II [III] mmvrons Leo/v M. POTTER WILLIAM M/WILLET'T' ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,878,925 p FEED TROUGH AND DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM Leon M. Potter and William M. Willett, Fort Atkinson, Wis., assignors to James Mfg. Co., Fort Atkinson, Wis., a company of Wisconsin 6 Claims. (Cl. 198-2 18) The present invention relates to an oscillating continuous feed trough system, the troughs being arranged'in series or in series multiple, having a single supply hopper with means for maintaining the height of the feed in the main feed trough at the feed-in place.

Our improved troughs are provided with primary oscillating mechanisms and secondary oscillating mechanisms adapted to cause the material to move forward from the point where it is fed into a trough and having means for returning the surplus feed to the main trough in rear of the supply hopper. I

A novel feature of our invention is supplying a number of supplemental troughs preferably arranged at right angle to the main trough and arranged in spaced relation, the main or first trough having means for metering the desired amount of feed into the inlet end of one or more of the supplemental troughs, so certain supplemental troughs are kept supplied with the desired quantity of feed. There is supplied preferably a receiving trough at the delivery end of the supplemental troughs and one of the supplemental troughs being arranged .to return the surplus feed from the receiving trough to the main trough and ahead of the feed-in place.

Our invention contemplates preferably an arrangement of main, supplemental and receiving troughs, for feeding a maximum number of birds in enclosures of various shapes.

A novel feature of our invention is the adjustable means we evolved for metering the feed from the main trough into one or more supplemental troughs. Another novel feature ofour invention is our means for oscillatingly supporting the troughs and for adjusting the troughs to various vertical positions for serving birds of different ages and sizes and without disturbing the primary oscillating mechanism.

It will -be seen from the foregoing preamble that with Fig. 4 is an end .tractional view of a preferred design of a supply hopper. i

Fig. 5 is a fractional front view of the hopper as shown in Figure 4.

Figs. 610 illustrates our novel trough carrying and height adjusting means.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate a modification of the means for supporting the trough carrying bracket.

Fig. 13 is a side elevational view of a trough having an operating connection to the oscillating mechanism.

Fig. 14 is an end view of the trough shown in Figure 13 and viewed from line 14. i

Fig. 15 is a detail view illustrating a fraction of the feed hopper, a gate valve and a flapper plate operatively connected thereto for regulating the feed from the hopper to the trough.

Fig. 16 illustrates a side view of the means for delivering the feed from the end of a feed trough into the adjacenttrough which is usually at right angles to the other. trough as shown in this figure, a portion being cut away to illustrate a fraction of the means supplied for urging the forward movement of the material.

Fig. 17 is an end view of the raised portion of the trough shown in Figure 16.

It will be understood that generally one oscillating I means is adapted to operate the main trough from which a sufliciently large supply container or hopper our novel feeding device will require minimum attention of an operator and serve a maximum number of birds in a minimum sized enclosure.

To these and other useful ends our' invention consists of parts, combinations of parts or their equivalents and mode of operation as hereinafter described and claimed and shown in theaccompanying drawings in which:

' Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of our preferred form of a trough taken on line 1-1 of Figure 2.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a short section of the trough and showing by dotted lines the adjustable gate valve shown in section in Figure 1 and as used in the main feed trough.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic top view of our feeding trough arrangement suitable for an enclosure of about the? same width as length wherein. several oscillating troughs are required and wherein the supply hopper is shown as positioned at the receiving end of the main trough.

into troughs 11' or 11",

the motion may be transferred mechanically to supplemental troughs as shown in Figure 3. The position and number of oscillating means are generally determined by the number and length of the troughs.

The'ime ans for connecting the oscillating mechanism to the troughs is optional. In the present instant the primary oscillating mechanism is positioned above certain troughs and supplemental oscillators are provided for other troughs as shown in Figure 3.

In Figure 3 the main trough is designated by numeral 10' and is operatively' connected to an oscillating member D. Two of the supplemental troughs are designated by numerals 11 and 11 and receive their oscillating motion from trough 10 by means of bell-cranks E. The receiving trough is designated by numeral 12 and the two other supplemental troughs by numerals 11" and 11". In this particular assembly an oscillating mechanism D is operatively connected to trough 11 and its motion is conveyed to troughs 12 and 11 by means of bell-cranks E. Thus it will be seen that all of the troughs will be oscillated and the feed caused to move in the direction indicated by arrows.

All of the troughs are preferably similar in shape to trough 10. In Figure 3 it will be noted that troughs 11' and 11" have their inlet ends positioned under an outlet 13 in the bottom of trough 10. Outlet 13 has means for regulating the how of material into troughs 11' and 11" comprising a plate 14 which fits into the bottom of trough 10 as illustrated in Figure 1 and having 3 outlets or openings 15, 16 and 17, each positioned a different distance from the apex 18 of plate 14. Member 14 is adjustably secured in trough 10 by means of bolts 19-19 so that either one of the outlets 15, 16 or 17 may be held over outlet 13 for regulating the flow of the material the relative flow being brought about by the distance the lower edges of members 15, 16 or 17 are from apex 18. Further adjustments are possible by the use of slots (not shown) in member 14.

Figure 3 illustrates an arrangement of main trough 10 with four supplemental troughs and a receiving trough 12. Figure 3 also illustrates the top view of the feed hopper B. The bottom of this hopper depends downwardly as at 20 (see Figure 4), so the feed will flow by gravity to the outlet 21 (see Figure 15) at which point there is positioned a gate valve 22 which is controlled by a flapper plate '23 having a mechanical or electric connection to valve 22 so when the feed in trough is below a predetermined height, the valve will be opened and the valve will be closed when the feed raises to a predetermined height.

We will now describe our adjustable support for the troughs as illustrated in Figures 6-12.

After the chicks are taken from the brooder theyibegin to grow rapidly. It is a great advantage to then put them in an enclosure equipped with our invention so they can be left there throughout their growing and'laying seasons. Our feed trough supporting means in its entirety is designated by reference character F and comprises a base plate 5h, having secured thereto a'U shaped member 51, having a multiplicity of transverse .grooves 52 cut in their front faces. A bracket 53 has jflanges 54-54 formed thereon with spaced openings 55--55 through which members 51 pass freely when movedto the rear side of these openings.

It will be noted that the fronts of openings 55 are adapted to fit into grooves 52 when brackets 53 are moved rearwardly, thus to lock this bracket intoa selected position and it is held in this position by means of a bar 56, having short flanges 57 on each end. Member 56 is provided with projections 5858 having a suitable height and length and positioned so, for example, member 56 may be positioned and locked into position by moving member 56 in the position shown in Figures 6 and 7, thus as clearly indicated in the figures, member 53 will be held in position by grooves 52.

For adjusting the height of member 53, all that is necessary is to move member 56 endwise far enough so members 51 may be moved out of slots 52. When 53 is moved to thedesired position, member 56 may be then moved to the position shown in Figure 10 for again locking bracket 53 into position. When bracket 53 is in its 0 lowest position the various troughs will be near enough to the floor of the enclosure for the birds when removed from the hover, after which brackets 53 may be raised as the birds grow until they reach the laying age.

The troughs are supported in brackets 53 as .follows: an opening 66 is cut into member 53 in a manner so cars 61 may be integrally formed and spaced apart far enough for th free reception of rubber tired. pulleys '62. The V shaped bottom of the troughs 10 rest on the two bottom pulleys and the top pulley is positioned adjacent plate 63, so as to prevent the trough from raising out of position. Pulleys 62 may be of the standard castor wheel type and are rotatably mounted on ears '61 by means of bolts 64. Thus it will be seen that the troughs will be adequately positioned and oscillatingly and noiselessly supported on brackets 53.

In Figures 11 and 12 we illustrate a modification of the holding means shown in the other .figures wherein grooves 52 may be dispensed with. In this design member 53' is provided with vertically spaced slots 65-.-65. We provide a spring type bracket 66 made from thin fiat stock and shaped as shown, the legs of which are provided with openings 67 and positioned so the free ends of members 66 may be forced together and'move'd into slot 65 and held in this position for the free reception of members 51'. Thus'when the free ends of'mem'bers 66 are released, member 53' will be locked into vertical position.

It will be seen that to adjust member 53' all "that is necessary is to move the free ends of member 66 together far enough to free member 53, and when 53 is in the desired position by releasing these free ends, 53 will be locked into position. Obviously a suitable roof or cover (not shown) could be provided for the feed trough. This cover may be supported in any suitable manner, preferably on members 54.

InFigures l3 and 14 we illustrate the oscillatingtmechanism D as being supported on-transversely spaced legs 70 which hold member D high enough from the ffloor enclosure, so the troughs which are freely positioned'between members 70 may be raised or adjusted to their various vertical positions. Member D has an oscillating projection 71, and a short plate 72 is secured to the top of the trough and located far enough from member D so a thin flat member 73 forms an operating connection between members 71 and 72, member 73 having spring characteristics so it operates successfully with the trough in any desired position, obviously member 73 may be rigid with hinged connections at oneor both ends, thus providing means for raising and lowering the troughs.

Since the troughs are preferably adjusted to the same distance from the floor, provisions must be made .at the ends of the troughs for delivering the .feed in theinlet end of the adjacent trough. This means isshown in Figures 16 and 17 wherein a short ascending length 74 of the troughs is shown. In order to assist in moving the feed forward members 74 are provided at their bottoms with ratchet shaped, closely spaced, transversely arranged projections 75, the free ends being about the height of the thickness of the material. Thus these projections 75 will act to urge the feed forward at about the desired speed and deliver the feed into the inlet end of the adjacent trough by gravity.

It will be seen that we have evolved a very simple and etfective means for feeding poultry, either for growing or laying seasons, in any size building wherein a maximum number of birds can be served in a most efficient manner and at minimum cost for the equipment and attention.

Clearly many minor detail changes may be made in the designs shown without departing from thespirit and scope of our invention as recited in the-appended claims.

This-application is a division of copending application Serial No. 304,118, filed August 13,.1952, .and issued as Patent No. 2,742,138 on April 17, 1956.

We claim:

1. In a poultry feeder having a reciprocating feed trough, a support for said trough comprising arleg, a bracket having roller means on which said trough reciprocates and an adjustable coupling comprising a spring clip connected to said bracket and having an elongated aperture through which said leg extends, said clip'being yieldable in a direction to release engagement of the margins of the clip about said aperture from said leg to permit sliding movement of the bracket with respect to the leg, said clip being resiliently biased inan opposite direction to engage said margins with said leg to lock the bracket to said leg.

2. The device of claim 1 in which .said bracketis provided with another yieldable spring clip resiliently biased in a direction opposite to the bias of the spring clip-first mentioned.

3. The device of claim 1 in combination with asecond leg spaced-from said leg, said bracket being provided with second spring clip selectively engageable with and releasable from said second leg, said bracket comprising a plate having an aperture between said clips and through which said trough reciprocates, said roller means being mounted on said plate and projecting into said aperture.

4. The device of claim 1 in which said aperture has a substantially arcuate end margin adjacent said bracket, the end margin of the aperture remote from said bracket being V-shaped at the portion of the margin engaging the leg under the resilient bias of said clip.

5. A trough feeder support comprising a leg, a bracket on which the trough is supported from the leg and means adjustably coupling the bracket and leg and comprising a spring clip connected to the bracket and having an aperture through which the leg extends, said clip being normally disposed at anangle to the leg to cramp the margins of the clip about the apertureagainst theleg to couple the parts, said clip being resiliently yieldable in "a direction to release engagement of said clip margins with the leg to permit sliding the leg with respect to the bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Keller June 20, 1916 Rebstock June 9, 1925 Smith Feb. 26, 1935 Lindberg Mar. 24, 1935 

